Fighting Blind
by claty
Summary: Hunger Games fanfic with Ellie Sawyers as main character. She's blind.
1. Chapter 2: The Reaping

I walk alongside my family until my best friend Rachelle meets me.

"Hey!" She says. I recognize her voice. We've been friends for a long time.

"Hey!" I say.

"Happy birthday!" She tells me as we head to the Reaping.

"Yeah, thanks." My stomach is churning nervously as I stand with all the other 11 year olds. We watch the yearly video, and then the drawings come.

I can hear her swishing her hand around in the girls bowl, drawing out the tension. I feel like screaming. "JUST PICK ONE ALREADY!" But I don't. That would be awkward. Especially if she picked me.

After what seemed like forever, the Capitol representative draws a slip. "And our girl tribute is… Elizabeth Sawyers." I freeze. I just got called. Out of all the other girls that had their names in so many times, I had mine in once and I was chosen.

I slowly make my way through the crowd to the stage, then up it to wait for the male tribute. Again our representative swishes her hand in the bowl for what seems like forever. Then she takes out a slip. "And our boy tribute is… Rylee Stuart."

After a minute or so I start to hear footsteps coming up to the stage. By how deep they sound I can tell that he's probably older than me, maybe fifteen… Soon he is right in front of me, and I give him a nod.

We shake hands as instructed, and then we meet our mentor, the victor. Then, the reaping is finally over. Someone rushes to my side to help me, but I shake them off and tell them i am perfectly capable of walking on my own, thank you.


	2. Chapter 3: Last Goodbyes

When the Reaping ceremony was over, Rylee and I are escorted to separate rooms where our friends and family can say goodbye to us before we board the train to the Capitol. On the way, Rylee tries to make conversation with me.

"I've seen you around town with your family." he tells me.

"Yeah, I go wherever they go. I don't just sit in my house doing nothing all day." I told him, annoyed.

"You usually have a longer stick than that, don't you?"

"First, it's not a stick, it's called a cane. Second, yes, it is 10 inches short. I used it when I was 6. This one's so annoying." I tell him.

"Oh, sorry. Why didn't you just get a new one?" he asks.

"I did' but it's not here yet. My parents said they would send it to me if it came while I was in the arena. It's probably coming tomorrow."

"Oh. Well, we're here." he tells me as my cane hits a threshold.

Rachelle comes in first. She throws her arms around me and says. "C'mon Ellie! You can win this thing! You can shoot a bow well from Liam, and you're good at finding the right berries and stuff to pick, and… …" She goes on.

I nod. "Thanks Ray." We hug for a while and then she has to go.

"See you on TV." I tell her.

"Good luck." She says

"Shouldn't you be saying Break a leg?" I ask, and she laughs.

My friend Liam comes in next.

"Hey." he greets me, closing the door.

"Hey." I force a small smile and push a lock of brown hair behind my ear.

"Do you remember when I taught you how to shoot a bow?" he asked me, now standing right next to me.

"Yeah thanks. That'll be useful in the arena."

"Yeah. remember that when you're out there." he says, before squeezing my hand and leaving the room.

Carolyn comes in next. She's crying.

"Ellie! Ellie!" she sobs, throwing her arms around me.

"Don't worry, Carrie." I soothe her, unconvincingly. "I'll figure out how to win for you, Mommy, and Daddy." I pat her on the back.

"Okay. But what if you don't win?! How do you know?" she asked me. "Lucy said she'd win, but she died!" she cried. Lucy was a 12 year old that Carolyn had met last year at a picnic.

"I know, but believe me, Carrie. I will win for you." I put my hand on her shoulder, and felt her nod. I squeezed her one last time before she had to leave.

"Bye Ellie! I love you!" she calls on her way out.

"Love you too, Carrie. Stay strong for me." I tell her.

"Elizabeth, don't worry. I believe you can win!" my mom told me. Then, she presses a long, skinny, aluminum into my hand. I feel it up and down.

"Thank you!" I cry, throwing my arms around her. I fold my old one and hold it out to her.

"Keep it in case your new one breaks in the arena. Then I'll drop you down a spare one that I got for you." she says.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I tell her over and over.

"I wanted to surprise you with it when we got home from the Reaping, or in the event that you got reaped." she told me. I love you Ellie. Be strong." she told me, just as she was ordered to leave the room.

My dad steps in. "I'm sorry, honey. I know you'll do your best." he tells me. "I love you."

"Thanks, Dad. Love you too." I reply. "You're a great liar, by the way." I grin, holding up my new cane.

"I tried my best!" He tells hug for a while, And then he had to leave. "Love you, honey. I have to leave now." And then he is gone.


End file.
